Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
One thing though...If you can't afford a boxer as just the DOG portion, can you afford vet bills, food, grooming? A dog is a big responsibility and costs a good amount of money.
I have to agree. The reason breeders make their dogs so much money is because they want to be sure that the owner will be able to pay in the future.

Just some rough estimates:

Vet check - $25-40, Collar - $5-20, leash - $10-50, Bowls - $10-20, Toys - $20-60, food $10-60, brush - $8-50, kennel - $50-200, obedience classes $100-1000, grooming - $30-40, treats - $5-10, doggy bed - $30-100, flea/tick control - $15-30, id tag - $8-15, carrier - $50-100, dog house - $50-100, microchip - $20-30...

..And much much more. Think about how much you'd have to pay for some of these a month. It's alot more than the first payment. Of course these are only estimates and they can change depending on what breed and what you'd bother buying for the dog.